IP Library Granted Patent US 10,608,634
Granted Patent B2
US 10,608,634 · App. 15/457,680 · Granted Mar 31, 2020

Dynamic impedance control for input/output buffers

Inventor: Bruce Millar (Stittsville, CA)
Assignee: Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc.
H03K19/0005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,608,634
App. No.
15/457,680
Granted
Mar 31, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method of performing off chip drive (OCD) and on-die termination (ODT) are provided. A common pull-up network composed of transistors and a common pull-down network composed of transistors are employed to implement both of these functions. In drive mode, the pull-up network is configured to produce a calibrated drive impedance when an “on” output is to be generated, and the pull-up network is configured to produce a calibrated drive impedance when an “off” output is to be generated. In termination mode, the pull-up network and the pull-down network are configured to produce a calibrated pull-up resistance and pull-down resistance respectively such that together, they form a split termination.

Claims (20)

1. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first plurality of transistors connected in parallel between a first power supply and a data output terminal,

a first plurality of OCD configuration bits,

a first plurality of ODT configuration bits, and

logic for driving a gate of each of the first plurality of transistors based on the OCD (off chip drive) and ODT (on-die termination) configuration bits,

the logic being configurable in an OCD mode to drive the gate of each of the first plurality of transistors based on a state of a respective one of the first plurality of OCD configuration bits to generate a first OCD impedance, and

the logic being configurable in an ODT mode to drive the gate of each of the first plurality of transistors based on a state of a respective one of the first plurality of ODT configuration bits to generate a first ODT impedance; and

a termination enable signal to enable/disable the ODT impedance when the integrated circuit is not in the OCD mode.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a calibration logic configured to calibrate the OCD impedance and the ODT impedance against a impedance reference.

3. The circuit of claim 2 , further comprising a replica of at least a portion of the first plurality of transistors and the logic for use by the calibration logic during calibration.

4. The circuit of claim 3 , wherein the impedance reference comprises an external reference resistor, and the replica is coupled to the external reference resistor through a pad.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of transistors are substantially equal in size.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second plurality of transistors connected in parallel between a second power supply and the data output terminal;

a second plurality of OCD configuration bits;

a second plurality of ODT configuration bits; and

logic for driving the gate of each of the second plurality of transistors based on the OCD and ODT configuration bits,

the logic being configurable in an OCD mode to drive a gate of each of the second plurality of transistors based on a state of a respective one of the second plurality of OCD configuration bits to generate a second OCD impedance, and

the logic being configurable in an ODT mode to drive a gate of each of the second plurality of transistors based on a state of a respective one of the second plurality of ODT configuration bits to generate a second ODT impedance.

7. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein the second plurality of transistors are substantially equal in size.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 16, 2021
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
To: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 056603/0094 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS INC.
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 054295/0624 →
AMENDED AND RESTATED U.S. PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS) Recorded Aug 22, 2018
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
To: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 046900/0136 →